Permis PrêtRight turn on red: allowed in Quebec, banned in Montreal?
The general rule, the Island of Montreal exception, and how to make the turn properly.
Short answer: in most of Quebec you may turn right on a red light after a full stop, yielding to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles, unless a sign forbids it. In Montreal and the 14 other municipalities listed in a regulation, all of them on the Island of Montreal, it is prohibited.
The general rule
The Code de la sécurité routière (Quebec’s Highway Safety Code) lets drivers, and cyclists too, turn right when facing a red light, unless signs say otherwise (s. 359.1). Two conditions apply:
- Stop first, before the crosswalk or the stop line. If there is neither, stop before the edge of the street you are turning onto.
- Yield to pedestrians already in the intersection, and to vehicles and cyclists who are in it or so close that turning would be dangerous.
A rolling turn is not enough: failing to stop before a right turn on red carries 3 demerit points (Regulation respecting demerit points, Schedule, item 19).
Where is it prohibited?
The Code allows the Minister of Transport to designate municipalities where the turn is banned (s. 359.1, second paragraph). The resulting regulation covers 15 municipalities, all on the Island of Montreal (c. C-24.2, r. 9.1, s. 1):
Baie-D’Urfé, Beaconsfield, Côte-Saint-Luc, Dollard-Des Ormeaux, Dorval, Hampstead, Kirkland, Montréal, Montréal-Est, Montréal-Ouest, Mont-Royal, Pointe-Claire, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Senneville and Westmount.
Outside the island, a ban can also apply at a single intersection: whoever maintains the road (often the municipality) can post a sign (s. 359.2). Some of these signs have a plate showing hours; outside those hours the general rule applies (Guide de la route, ch. 4, “Virage à droite au feu rouge”).
| Situation | Right turn on red |
|---|---|
| Off the Island of Montreal, no sign | Allowed after a full stop, yielding |
| No-turn-on-red sign at the intersection | Prohibited (during the posted hours, if any) |
| One of the 15 municipalities on the Island of Montreal | Prohibited |
How to do it safely
The SAAQ handbook breaks it into three steps: stop, look, decide.
- Come to a complete stop without blocking the crosswalk.
- Confirm the turn is allowed here, then scan: left, ahead, right (mirror and blind spot), and one last look to the left.
- Let pedestrians and cyclists go first and don’t cut off traffic. Take extra care with children, older people and anyone crossing slowly.
- You never have to turn. If you are unsure, wait for the green; the handbook points out that this turn is optional.
Newcomers from places where right on red is standard: on the Island of Montreal the default is reversed, so wait for the green there.
Key points for the test
- A full stop is required before turning right on red.
- Pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles in or near the intersection go first.
- Banned everywhere on the Island of Montreal (15 municipalities) and wherever a sign says so.
- Skipping the stop: 3 demerit points.
Original questions with an explanation and a source, “Road signs and signals” section.
Practise for free
See also
- Flashing yellow or red light: what to do
- All-way stop: who goes first?
- Demerit points and the learner’s licence
Official sources
- Code de la sécurité routière (Highway Safety Code, CQLR c. C-24.2), ss. 359.1 and 359.2
- Regulation to designate the territory of municipalities as an area where making a right turn on a red light is prohibited (CQLR c. C-24.2, r. 9.1), s. 1
- Regulation respecting demerit points (CQLR c. C-24.2, r. 37), Schedule, item 19
- SAAQ, Guide de la route (4th ed., 2024, French), ch. 4, “Virage à droite au feu rouge”
General information page, current as of 2026-10-28. If in doubt, the official text prevails. Rules can change: check saaq.gouv.qc.ca and legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca.